Fallen
by Looking Glass Reflection
Summary: A ghost story with some slight trueth and a mix of familar legends. Follow Bessy Mae Watson as she tells her freaky story of a boy thats all but mysterious...


Fallen

I sat next to the headstone of a newly dug grave that held a once living relative of mine. My mother, with her dark brown hair and light blue eyes laid under the newly turned earth that buried her casket below four feet in the rock solid ground. The rather small headstone only held her name, Bessy Mae Watson, and also the date she was born and when she died.

Where I sat I could see through the trees the abandoned white limestone quarry that surrounded three of the four sides of the cemetery. Still looking through the trees towards the south, I could see a giant hole in the ground below. I remembered it being called the Empire State Building hole but was not sure if the limestone that built the Empire State building was actually from that green water filled quarry. I continued to stare through the trees when a shadow in the forest caught my attention. It looked as if it were a figure walking in the woods but it was all fuzzy and to fast for me to tell. Finally I stood up and walked to the line of trees, curious to see if I was or was not alone in Hopkins cemetery.

Soon I found myself passed the tree line and at the edge of a steep down slop that was more like a cliff when I stopped and stood looking out towards the white quarry. It was more visible now then ever. But I had no more time to think about the view of the place in front of me when I felt my feet slide out from under me, allowing me to slide down the steep cliff like hill and into the quarry. A cold hand that seemed to be wet, wrapped around my waist and hauled me up, stopping me from falling even more, and placed me back to where I had almost been standing previously. If it had not been for this stranger I probably would have slid off without anyone knowing what had happened to me.

"What do you think your doing" a male voice asked behind me, interrupting me train of thought.

"Sliding down a cliff what does it look like" I returned sarcastically a little unsure of the stranger behind me. I turned to see a rather tall teenaged boy with brown hair that was much lighter then my own. He seemed to look as if he had just went swimming because he was completely wet from water. His close were strange, wearing what looked like army cloths from the civil war but they were much more worn and faded making them look almost gray to black in color. His face I could only see from his chin all the way to his high cheekbones and nose, but his eyes were not visible. Only sparkles of black shown threw the light brown hair that covered his eyes, no color could be seen at all.

"I can see that. Please allow me to walk you out of these woods and back the very short distance to the cemetery. We would not want to accidentally fall again would we," the stranger stated in a polite manner before half slouching almost as if he was bowing.

As we began walking side by side I started the conversation again, "I didn't catch your name…"

"James. James William Wales at your service. But that's not what most people know me as" He spoke with his head turned just the slightest my way but did not seem to be looking at me directly.

"Oh? And what would that be Mr. Wales" I teased thinking he was only toying with me.

"Miss identification really. But people of this time always seem to be making miss identifications these days."

I stopped, just as we walked out of the trees, with a puzzling look on my face. However, he continued with a laugh and talked as if I was not confused. "I can name only a few good names, the headless horseman being one of my very favorites…"

"What are you getting at? Are you pulling some kind of scam? Am I on some hidden camera show?" I asked getting suspicious of James's intentions. I looked away for a brief second but when I looked back, he was gone. I wildly looked all around but I could not see him anywhere. He had just some how vanished.

"Gretchen…" a voice from the woods behind me called, making me whirl around only to face the silhouette of James who was now holding the reins of a pure black horse that looked like it was out of an old western movie and also as wet as James was. Despite me being able to see the features of the horse, James was not visible to my eyes. It appeared that the laws of light did not apply to him now, because he was only covered in shadow as if it was midnight.

"How do you know my name? I never told you it," I asked, starting to get defensive. This man had to be dangerous, I could just feel it burning deep down into my own bones that he had to be.

"I know many things Gretchen Marie. They do not call me Lego for nothing. Like I said miss identification because the real Lego died a year after his escape" James spoke in a manner like tone almost sounding like everything was perfectly fine and nothing was wrong. The legend of the quarry hiding Lego was not a reasserting fact for me, which left me in fear more, then I had a minuet ago. "I also know your mother, Bessy Mae was it, died recently in a manner you would not like me to mention no?"

He was teasing me now in a way that I did not feel pleased with. I was about to say something but he interrupted me one last time, "Your ride to the Greystone Orphanage is here Miss Watson. Have a safe trip to Bedford."

"Gretchen Marie Watson" a new scolding voice sounded from the front of the cemetery. I turned towards the new voice only to see an elderly looking woman with short grey hair. By the time I turned around, James and his black horse were gone and not in sight at all but the grass was soaked with water where they had been standing. I began the trek back to the entrance of the cemetery and faced the woman. Up close she looked quit different, younger and maybe in her 30s but signs of stress were showing on her face. "Back to the Greystone Orphanage with you Gretchen. No complaining at all Miss Watson!"

"I haven't complained M…"

"That's Miss Gilda to you, or ma'am if you're the unruly type like my assistances…you can't trust them boys but they are better then the brats I take care of. Do you know how much I have to deal with children like you? Always whining and screaming your heads off and always wanting things you kids do not disserve at all. That's why I do give you what you children want which happens to be a good spanking…" Miss Gilda rambled. She continued like this until we walked up to a black van that was an old 2000 model. Despite it being a 2000 model it still had all kinds of rust spots, dings, and scratches from being roughly treated.

"Get in" Miss Gilda barked at once as she held open the back seat door for me to get in. She nearly cut my toes off as I barely slide them in just in time. I quickly fastened my seat belt tightly knowing what was coming next. At first, Miss Gilda's driving was slow and then once we had turned onto an actual road she went wild. She drove almost 70 on these back roads and her emotions seemed to bounce from excitement of the thrill ride of the van to anger from the on coming cars when she was on the wrong side of the rode. This was going to be a long trip back to the Greystone Orphanage for sure.

"Couldn't see a thing! Couldn't see a stupid thing what do they make these windows out off fog?" Gilda complained as we got out of the van. I looked at the van, the windows were perfectly fine and clean but it was the haul of the van that suffered. A few more dents and scratches were added to the van from the rough ride it had taken, which was not surprising to me now since this made my third time riding with her.

Miss Gilda continued her ramble as we headed up the steps and into the house, but her expression had changed to one not so aggressive, "You alright Gretchen?"

"Just fine Miss Gilda" I mumbled looking up at the three-story limestone building. The Greystone Orphanage use to be the Greystone Hotel, until the roof and floors almost rotted away.

"Are you sassing me Gretchen Marie" Miss Gilda almost yelled, her expression changing back to the angry persona I have almost grown use too. She pushed me through the door and right in line with a bunch of other children. All of them looking as if they were little soldiers in an army; wearing a raggedy military green top, old hole filled Jeans, and black muddy boots. Despite the gender differences both girls and boys had short hair, the girls hair being cut short just below their chin and the boys being cut short just above their ears. "Let's see here, Gretchen you're a little out of line then others. Tyler, Billy, Harrison, Cody, Seth! Where are those boys?"

Five boys walked out in front of us with smiles of mischief on there faces. Then a brownish blondish haired boy spoke up, "Yes Ma'am?"

"My five young assistants, we need clothes for Gretchen here. She seems to be left out of our little army" Miss Gilda half commanded them with a smile. Immediately two of the boys left, walking up stairs while the other three boys began to whisper.

"Miss Gilda" the same boy began.

"Yes Tyler what is it" Miss Gilda barked the question.

"We would like to take Miss Watson out around the town."

"Let me think. Yes that would be just fine, it would be one less kid and the five of you I wouldn't have worry about."

"Then lets get goin Gretchen," another boy said to me taking my arm and walking me towards the door.

To me his voice sounded way to innocent so I started to speak, "I don't think it's a good idea…"

"Nonsense Gretchen! Now get out of here," Gilda yelled pushing me towards the door.

"Billy, Cody! Come on lets get goin" Tyler yelled causing the two other boys to come running down stairs. "By the way Miss Gilda those kids broke one of your windows out."

"What" Gilda yelled. All the children standing in front of us began to panic.

"But…" one started as I was pushed out the door. They hauled me out the door and sat me in the middle of the old van. I finally noticed that their expressions exchanged so I asked, "Where are we goin?"

"Listen Watson," Tyler began as he turned around in the front passenger seat to speak, "you do what I say, and if I say you did something lets say broke something of Gilda's you broke it. Got it?"

"Yes" I whispered my voice barley audible.

"What was that" the boy next to me barked the question and shoved his elbow into my side.

"Yes!"

"Good now take me to that quarry next to that cemetery where her mother is buried Harrison, Hopkins cemetery I think"

One long drive later, I was close to the cemetery I had been to earlier today. All five of the boys had gotten out and dragged me out of the van with them and back into the quarry at the Empire State Building hole. It was evening now and fog seemed to be rising from the quarry hole and all around us.

"Boys so what do you think we should do now" Tyler asked. Every one of the boys was staring at me, "I don't think she knows yet who the boss is."

"Oh no" I whispered under my breath. I was already at the edge of the quarry hole and could not go any farther. That is when I felt my foot slid out from under me and soon I was falling into the water and splashed into the cold deep water.

"Where'd she go" I heard one of them say.

"I don't know" another one said.

I swam to the other side of the hole, without being noticed, and found a place to climb up out of the quarry hole. I began to run towards the cemetery right when I hear Tyler yell, "Get her!"

I was almost there when I tripped. As I got up the boys were surrounding me now. But out of the corner of my eyes, I could see a shadow darting from rock to rock in a zigzag motion.

"What was that?"

"Ignore it Seth just get her," Tyler barked.

But then the shadow came up behind, and spoke "I'd run if I were you."

"Its Lego run" Seth screamed as he took off followed closely by another one of his buddies. The other three did not back off so easy, they only ran away for a short distance before they turned back around and I followed their actions only to find no one was behind me.

"I don't know what trick you're playing Watson but it's not one that will score you some points," Tyler growled cracking his knuckles. Then in the distance, a galloping could be heard and then out of the fog a black horse came galloping towards us all. He galloped straight past me and towards the now running boys before he vanished without a trace. With the boys still running in the distance I made my way towards the Empire quarry hole and stopped.

"You see Gretchen," a voice began, "miss identification really."

"James!"

"At your service" he spoke appearing next to the quarry hole still upon his horse. Both he and the horse were dripping wet again.

After some silence I began to ask out of curiosity, "You said the real Lego died?"

"Yes?"

"So how did he…" I did not get to finish my question when I saw James's horse back up and slip off the edge and into the quarry.

"James" I shouted as I ran and looked over the edge of the quarry. However, he was no were to be seen or heard. Not even a ripple was made in the green quarry water but I could still hear the echo of the neighing scream from the horse that I had seen fall with its wet rider, James.


End file.
